Engine/Transmission (1994 - 1998) What do you think

[BDickinson]

Alright i'm thinking of buying this truck this is what i know 1997 reg cab 4x4 130,000 miles automatic at one time it had a goose neck it has gauges it's had kinda a rough life but know body damage just little stuff like the bumpers just little stuff. I'm a little leery because the miles on the auto and with the gauges it's almost a sure thing it was turned up so give me your thoughts

 

[DBrickel]

130000k is still young for the Cummins if it has been taken care of. I would definitely have the trann y checked out. If it has some mods it might have upgrades to the transmission too. Have you driven it?

 

[BDickinson]

I'm not scared of the Cummins thats just gettin broke in but the transmission scares me. I haven't drove it yet i might call tomorrow if i get a chance

 

[Lsfarm]

Assume a Trans Replacement

If the truck looks a 'little' rough, and has a gooseneck hitch, and gauges, then I'd assume you will need to rebuild the trans. With the hitch and gauges the odds of it being a good trans are significantly reduced.



Unless of course, you can prove the trans has been upgraded or at least rebuilt sometime in the past.



If the auto trans is driven intellegently, with very little or no increase in power, AND it happens to be one of the factory transmissons that had tight clearances and seals that sealed, then you might get a few more miles out of the trans.



I've rebuilt and upgraded transmissions with 40K that were near trash, and also transmissions with 235K that still looked surprisingly good. It is a lot of luck whether the trans starts out as a good one or a lousy one from the factory.



You should drive a truck with an upgraded trans, then you will feel what a Cummins engine can do. A lot of power and performance is eaten up by the lousy stock Torque converter



Just negotiate the prce down to include a trans upgrade. If this is off of a dealer lot, emphasize the 'high' miles and the roughness of the truck and the gauges which 'must' mean that the truck was a hot-rod or run very hard. These are the same tactics that the dealers use to push down the price given on a trade-in, so use the same ammunition on them!!



Good luck, hope it works out.



Greg L. Tha Noise Nazi.

 

[CATCRACKER]

i almost gurantee the front end is shot!!!!! ball/uv/steering joints shot track bar shot. lots and lots of $ cummins is good just make sure the dowel pin is not shot assume the transmission is shot also!



speaking from experience!

 

[Swayse]

I did the same thing, 97 with 160,000 miles. I did the full meal deal on the trans and did a little bombing. It's got a lot of little things that it needs now. Track bar and a few tie rod ends are real bad, shocks are bad, but the ball joints are fine. I ordered the track bar and the tie rod ends, put new shocks on the back, ordered Bilstiens for the front.



This thing is turning into a real big money pit. It still needs twin turbos, cam, fly cut pistons, peirs stage 2 head, peirs stupid pump, and a new radio, mine won't play CDs anymore.